It was Mom's Weekend last week at Washington State University, and University of Idaho will follow with their own "act like a co-ed" weekend beginning today. It's funny-- the universities also sponsor a Dad's Weekend, but it seems to me as though this is a time for the whole family to come to campus (mom, dad and younger siblings). But on Mom's Weekend it is mostly just the moms.

I call them "act like a co-ed" weekends for a reason.

Many moms who attend often try to relive their college years (or the ones they never had) during the two days they are on campus. They sleep in the dorms with their kids, wear skirts that are too short, shirts that are too tight and drink more in two days then they do all year at home. The university towns don't help either-- to some extent they encourage it. There are several wine tastings scheduled and the bars advertise that no mom stands in line for a drink.

But really, they don't need much encouragement. At last year's UI men's lacrosse game during Mom's Weekend, the moms brought their own wine glasses and bottles of wine to the sidelines. I hadn't realized lacrosse was such an upscale sport, but I guess it is the Northwest's polo.

What makes women act like children during this university weekend? Is it being away from their partner, their jobs, their regular lives? Are their kids embarrassed by them and for them? I know I would be embarrassed if my mom came to visit me on campus and got inebriated and out of control. Frankly, that would not have been an issue with my mom, but I can imagine if it was how embarrassing and uncool it would have been.

To all the moms out there, there are a few simple ways you can make your visit special without the drinking and debauchery. 
Take your student grocery shopping. Take them out for a nice meal that doesn't involve ramen noodles and mac and cheese. Buy a University of Idaho Mom sweatshirt and wear it proudly all weekend to show support.

Be a real mom.

This is definitely not a sport’s blog, but I feel the need to talk about lacrosse. Lacrosse is a great sport. People get to catch balls in small handheld nets and toss them back and forth. They get to go behind the goal, which is unheard of in other goal sports, and they get to hit the opposing team with sticks. Sounds fun, right? It is. Saturday I attended the University of Idaho lacrosse game against Boise State University. Unfortunately, UI lost in sudden death but that’s beside the point.

What really interested me was the crowd. Here is a sport, that to be honest, isn’t always well attended. Saturday the sidelines were packed. It was packed with mom’s here for Mom’s Weekend along with their spouses and children, other UI students and Moscow community members. All in all, this was not the usual lacrosse match crowd. Many of the spectators were not lacrosse enthusiasts, having attended their first match for the first time that day, and others assumed lacrosse at UI was an upscale event. Let me explain.

One girl in the crowd asked her friend what the point of the game was. When told it was to get the little white ball into the net she asked which net. She is definitely not a regular attendee.

Then there was the alcohol. I expected to see the usual red plastic cups, but what I didn’t expect was the wine. One group of women brought their own bottle of wine and stemmed wine glasses. Talk about classy. They were sipping Bordeaux on the sidelines while the team was practically knocking their opponents unconscious.

Next game I am bringing a tea set (in real china) complete with tea cozy and enough cups to share with surrounding spectators. And instead of screaming at the top of my lungs and abusing the refs I will wave a flag daintily and hold up a supportive and tastefully decorated sign encouraging my team to victory.